Daily Faceoff lists Morgan Rielly as potential offseason trade candidate

Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Morgan Rielly could be in for a change of scenery this offseason.

Daily Faceoff’s Matt Larkin recently listed Rielly as a potential offseason trade candidate to keep an eye on. The longest-tenured Maple Leaf had an up-and-down year in 2024-25, and while his contract will be hard to move, Larkin feels Rielly could benefit from playing in a lesser role, in a smaller market.

“He’s lost a step but could still help a weaker team’s power play or middle pair if he played reduced minutes. Though Rielly has always insisted he likes competing in a pressure-packed market, his recent play suggests otherwise, and maybe he’d benefit from playing somewhere offering more anonymity.”

Rielly appeared in all 82 regular season games for the Leafs, scoring seven goals, and 41 points. While the critics have been aplenty, he’d go on to register seven points in 13 Stanley Cup Playoff games, which included an impressive four goals. Rielly’s been one of the more reliable Leafs defencemen over the years, however, if management is serious about making significant changes this offseason, it could include Rielly being asked to waive his no-movement clause.

“He (Rielly) looked visibly slower during the 2024-25 playoff run, particularly in the second round vs. the Florida Panthers, and doesn’t appear up to being Toronto’s No. 1 puck-moving defenseman anymore. He’s still owed $7.5 million annually for another five seasons. The argument for trading him makes sense from Toronto’s side. But it could work out for Rielly and a new team, too, if he was willing to waive his no-movement clause.”

Rielly’s owed $7.5 million AAV through the 2029-30 season. His no-movement clause doesn’t decrease to a 10-team no-trade clause until the 2028-29 season, so if the Maple Leafs want to move on, it will have to be something that Rielly agrees to. General Manager Brad Treliving has Chris Tanev, Oliver Ekman-Larsson, Jake McCabe, Philippe Myers, Simon Benoit, and Brandon Carlo all signed for at least the next two seasons, so the depth is secured on the Leafs’ back end. Now we wait and see if Rielly becomes an odd man out.